OK we will keep this going for through the weekend, but only with actual news or major reports, not all the commentary that goes with. Leggo! Continue Reading
Unlike you and that girl you like that you always see at the coffee shop, the Eagles and DeMarco Murray are reportedly mutually interested in each other. According to Adam Caplan, both sides are interested. It’s very early and it’s all talk right now, but this could be huge. Or, it could just be Murray trying to piss off the Cowboys.
You have to break the seal somehow, and the Flyers have just made their first move in free agency by signing goaltender Rob Zepp to a one year deal. Zepp comes to the Flyers from the German DEL and, according to Broad Street Hockey, will likely split time with Anthony Stolarz with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. It’s not exciting, but it’s not over yet.
You can see Zepp’s career numbers over here.
UPDATE: They also re-signed Ray Emery. All done now.
When NHL free agency kicks off at noon today, many teams around the league will use the extra money they have under the salary cap to try to improve their squad. After issuing qualifying offers to Jason Akeson, Erik Gustafsson, Brandon Manning, and Tye McGinn — and not issuing offers to Marc-Andre Bourdon, Cullen Eddy, Tyler Brown, Kyle Flanagan, and Cal Heeter — new GM Ron Hextall is left with a bill of $236,429 over the cap. The team is allowed to go up to 10% over the hard cap.
It’s been a not-so-well kept secret that Hextall is desperately trying to dump Vinny Lecavalier and his $4.5 million salary cap hit on anyone who will take him, but as of yet that’s been nobody. In fact, due to his handcuffing by the salary cap, Hextall is more likely to make a splash in a trade than via free agency. That doesn’t mean we won’t all get a little anxious when noon rolls around, it just means that anxiety won’t be added upon or relieved. But hey, that also means no ridiculous giant contracts. That’s always nice.
UPDATE: In ultimate optimism, I mistakenly reported that the Flyers were under the cap.
Paul Holmgren has some retooling to do. Retooling? I’ll retool you! Join us for your all-day, nonstop Flyers free agency running commentary.
Step over the jump with me for all the updates. Continue Reading
This is meant to supplement our Flyers Free Agency Running Commentary. Only actual signings, trades or big news will be posted here. No rumors, no commentary– just the hard stuff. Think of it as the perfect, subtle grammatical beverage to balance out the strong flavors of our running commentary.
10:44 a.m. Flyers confirm signing Claude Giroux to an eight-year extension. He’ll get $66.2 million.
11:51 am. Multiple reports say that the Flyers and Ray Emery will sign a deal shortly after 12 p.m.
12:18 p.m Pierre LeBrun confirms– one year, $1.765 million for Ray Emery with the Flyers.
1:19 p.m. The Flyers signed goalie Yann Danis to a two-way contract with the Phantoms. He played in four games for Edmonton over the last two years.
Yesterday, we posted a story about Shane Victorino's conversation with Jayson Stark of ESPN. In it, Victo said he was willing to give up free agency to remain in Philadelphia, where he wants to be.
Today, CSN Philly's Jim Salisbury reported that Victorino wants a five-year deal. Here's some of what the Hawaii Five-O star had to say:
“I love this place,” he said. “This is the place that gave me my chance. I’m a World Series champion in this city. That’s stuff that forever will be remembered. I want to be here.”
“I look at it this way,” he said. “If it’s a significant difference, I have to weigh my options. I obviously love playing in Philly. They made me who I am. That sits in the back of my mind. But I also understand there’s a window in this game. Age and time comes into play. When I say I don’t want to go anywhere — yeah, I call this home and I want to finish my career here — but we’ll see how it goes. I won’t say I won’t take a hometown discount, but I also will say I want to maximize my opportunity with not only what I’ve accomplished as an individual, but as part of a team.”
What about length of contract? Victo wants a five spot.
“I’ll be 32 on the market,” he told Salisbury. “I can go another five years. I would think even more. I want to go until I’m 40… My agents say I can get a five-year deal on the market. Why not trust them?”
Does this sound familar? It sure does. The whole "I can play 'til I'm 40" statement is eerily similar to what Jayson Werth said in 2010. How'd that work out? Well, in a $126 million contract with an extremely annoying team in DC.
Who else does this remind you of? J-Roll™. Rollins wanted a five-year deal and ended up settling for three years with an option for an attainable fourth.
There are some differences, though, in what Victorino told Stark and what he said to Salisbury. Perhaps Victo's agent smacked him in the head for gushing over the Phillies too much.
Ahhhhh, baseball is back.
This was originally meant to be a simple tool to keep you updated on free agency Friday. What it became, however, was a nine hour running commentary on the biggest Flyers news days since… well, last Thursday. Here it is, written in real-time, as the craziness unfolded.
Keep it tuned here all day for updates: [last 8:33 P.M]
12:00-1:00
– Per the beat writers, the Flyers have re-signed Braydon Coburn to a two-year extension.
– According to Frank Seravalli, the Flyers have signed Michal Handzus. Numbers soon. LA Kings east!
– According to Dave Isaac, Zus' agent hasn't heard from the Flyers yet.
– According to the Daily News, Ville Leino turned down a four-year, $12 million offer from the Flyers. So, let's recap: With the extra Richards money, the Flyers have not made an offer on Stamkos and will not re-sign Leino. Cap space!
- Sam Carchidi says the Flyers and Habs are last two teams standing for Jagr. What, are we only signing old guys with perms?
- Craig Custance reports there's no deal between the Flyers and Handzus. Homer never pressed the X button on his PS3 controller, apparently.
– Thus far, it's been like watching a three-legged race in the Special Olympics. The beat writers take one tandem step forward, followed by an out-of-step fall on their faces.
– Things are getting chippy:
 |
BroadStBull Didn't say it happened, but close. RT @DiHSblog: @DNFlyers @AnthonySan37 @BroadStBull can you guys give a little insight on bogus 'reports'. 7/1/11 12:39 PM |
– Unconfirmed: Paul Holmgren, in a drunken rage, signed the escaped Baboon from NJ. Beat writers can't confirm- Baboon's agent can't find client. Clusterfuck.
– Remember when I said – on Tuesday – that if by mid-day Friday Holmgren has yet to sign a suitable replacement for Richards, we would march with pitchforks? Well, it's 12:48. Presumed option 1, Steven Stamkos, has fallen through, Leino reportedly turned down an offer, and the Flyers have roughly $6 million in cap space. Put on your walking shoes.
1:00-2:00
– All quiet on the Western Front. The Phillies game is starting, I'm watching the Toronto feed, it's one giant ad for Canada today. No word on Jagr or Handzus.
– 1:05 P.M and Mike Richards was traded for a rookie and a buffer zone.
– David Boreanaz, who spells almost nothing right on his Twitter, is waiting with bated breath to see what Homer will do and doesn't like the reported – yet unconfirmed – Handzus rumors:
– Blackhawks sign now former-Flyer Sean O'Donnell to one-year deal.
– Holy shit! It's official, the Flyers have signed Jaromir Jagr. Oh my. If they sign 'Zus, and place him on a line with Hartnell and Jagr, we're talking a record-setting hair line. Or, as PuckDucky calls it, The Flow Line.
– As I Tweeted yesterday, Ed Snider's plane was in New York (Teterboro at least) at the same time as Jagr. Conspiracy!
– Up is down, down is up. The Flyers traded Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, then signed a Russian goalie and Jaromir Jagr. I am now fully convinced that Homer is sitting pantless at his PS3, sipping Rolling Rocks and trying to glitch the system with the "override trade" option. This isn't real.
– Jagr, 39, scored 25, 22, and 19 goals, respectively, over the last three seasons playing for Omsk Avangard of the KHL. Each of those tallies came in roughly 50 game seasons.
– Per Darren Dreger, it is a $3.3 million, 1-year deal for Jagr.
– 1:34 P.M and Paul Holmgren needs a child leash.
– Jaromir Jagr has been playing hockey since before EA Sports launched their NHL series.
– I'm not even sure how to react yet. I need a minute. On one hand, Jagr has been very productive in the competitive KHL. On the other hand… Holmgren has turned Mike Richards' salary into Jaromir Jagr and Brayden Schenn. Of course, that part of it might be a positive, as well. Jagr can provide a one-year buffer zone for Schenn to reach his potential, which is supposedly equal to Richards.
– The Flyers signed Jakub Voracek to a one-year deal worth $2.25 million. Expected.
– I'm lightheaded.
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– The Flyers also signed defenseman Andreas Lilja.
